How exciting a wallet can be

And here it is, a blog about a wallet! In times when you can read mostly about serious topics like climate change, Trump and finding your spiritual self, I’m inclined to write about a simple physical product. To my defence it’s a carefully thought out and well made piece of leather that really deserves attention. But before we continue I would like to clarify that this was not paid or sponsored in anyway by the company that made it - Bellroy.
I’ve heard for the first time about them from a friend, he was excited about DHL delivering his new wallet like it was a Mac. I remember thinking it must be some kind of money producing machine if he is so happy about a not so cheap wallet purchase.
When it arrived it was clear why he had such feelings, and to make things more interesting or ironic, I was the one to unbox the package because he left town. The box was spot on, a little note saying thank you, quality was great. I mean you could just feel that the leather was good and not some kind of cheap eco leather s****t.
The feature that stood out the most is how they managed to design it so that it stays slim even when you put all of your credit cards, money, receipts and notes in it.
After that unboxing experience subconsciously I realized that I need one…
London again
I had a 9 year old Diesel wallet that was a prime example of how a good quality product should stand the test of time. I bought it when I was 17 and visiting London, and to be honest the reason why I got is because it was 25£ on sale, but it turned out to be a great purchase.
Great purchase because it took me 9 years to buy another one, and the complete situation was funny because it happened on my second London visit while I was wandering around its flashy shopping streets. I was in a big department store browsing shoes and something caught my eye. You guessed it, it was a wall full of wallets! Big designer names, but one stood out and you guessed it again, Bellroy…
After 20min of decision making and colour choosing I finally picked mine and it was a combo of grey on the outside and pastel blue inside. No sale for me this time, it was around 70£, not too expensive, but not too cheap either.
What I like the most
First of all, you get a 3 year warranty that guarantees that their product will be free from defects. That’s a long period of time for a thing you use every day and it shows that people from Bellroy are confident in their craftsmanship.

Besides the quality, thing that stands out the most to me is how slim it can stay even with all the stuff you pack into it. I’ve taken a picture from their website (down below) that shows in a good way this feature and again I was not paid in any way to say or do this.
You really forget that you have a wallet in your pocket.

It’s also really convenient how smart it is, everything is accessible and neatly organised. There are even some hidden pockets if you are into hiding stuff from unwanted views and hands. Stitching is well done and generally they have a solid colour palette. With this model you have a quick access to five different card slots and two different bigger compartments for paper money, notes, receipts…

The only thing that you don’t get is a dedicated coins pocket, so if that’s a must you should pick another model. I think Bellroy covers worldwide shipping so this is not an issue no matter where you live.
There’s not much negative to say so far, it’s a simple product and if there was a big or small fault with it I would be able to see it soon…
Let’s make it saucy
Sunny May afternoon in Chicago. I took my break in middle of the work day to pick up some food and sit by the river in the downtown. Indian was the choice for the day, full of curry and oil to be honest. I guess it’s a fairly healthy choice despite the amount of oil. While I was enjoying my food I don’t know why, but I wanted to move the change from my pocket into the wallet. I’ve put my plate on the ground, took the wallet carefully out of the pocket with my greasy hands and while I was trying to avoid dropping it, that exactly happened. A few seconds later it was in the middle of the curry plate. Cmon! Cleaning it later didn’t help, oil was just sucked into the leather. For the next two or three days it was just a pain to look at it! While I was trying to get adjusted to the new look, it took like five more days for the stain to completely disappear. I guess rubbing against my jeans did the part. Later, I did a similar stupid thing again, but this time I was not worried as much, the stain didn’t stay for long…
And again this wallet like the Diesel one is standing the test of time really good. I’ve had it only for the last 6 months, but I think it’s enough to get a impression how it’s going to behave. What’s more, because it’s real leather it’s only looking better and better with age.

Definitely go ahead and buy it!
I think you got the impression that this is highly recommended product from my side. The company behind it makes other things too, like backpacks and phone cases, but I didn’t use or own any of them, so I can’t give you a green light for those purchases yet. My general motivator to write a whole blog about a wallet was to try to portray how a smartly designed everyday product can make your life a little more convenient and enjoyable. Still months and months after I’ve bought it, I admire how a cool product this is. Well done Bellroy!
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